“An important step, Europe’s even more concrete commitment to combating religious persecution”. Minister for Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini was visibly satisfied as he returned from the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council in Luxembourg. Italy’s tenacious initiative on behalf of Christian minorities in the world obtained substantial consensus, which will lead to a two-pronged effort.
What is going to happen, Minister Frattini?
“In the first place, to work toward the EU foreign ministers’ approval of a text on religious freedom, and the protection of Christians specifically. There will then be formal and political conclusions that will reaffirm the freedom of all religions as one of Europe’s founding values and that will identify the need to react to persecutions against Christians. In the second place, the work group on human rights we proposed, and which was set up in September and is led by the Commission and its duty president, will draft a resolution to be submitted to a vote by the UN General Assembly within September of next year”.
How will this reaction against persecution be manifested?
“According to the suggestions made by Italy and approved in Luxembourg, the EU missions set up in countries where episodes of violence take place will take formal steps to encourage those governments to intervene with instruments of control and prevention. To date we are almost the only ones to have done this, and have had some success. For example, a mission in Iraq led to greater police controls in an area inhabited by Christians under attack, and to the maintenance of quotas reserved for minorities in administrative bodies in the provinces where they reside. We have urged Pakistan and India to protect the faithful from attacks aimed at frightening them out of their homes and villages. If the intervention of a single government can obtain this effect, the voices of the Union’s 27 members can do much more”.
Could it be said then that diplomatic pressure is necessary and that often the silence of the international community in the face of episodes of persecution is an act of guilt by inertia?
“Of course, urging vigilance and holding countries accountable, and monitoring situations constantly, can lead to tangible benefits. It’s enough to make yourself heard, and you are bound to get results”.
Why then is there so much apparent indifference, or even resistance, on the part of European nations?
“I wouldn’t use the term resistance, but a stone wall. We have to consider the secular climate of some societies, which many politicians are aware of. Generically speaking all religions are said to be in need of protection, but then what is “politically correct” comes into play. Just take the example of the fact that many supermarkets in Belgium won’t sell pieces for the Christmas crèche in order to avoid specific religious symbols. In the end, our formal request to the current Swedish EU presidency that the theme be placed on the agenda convinced everyone, considering recent events, beginning with the crucifixes in Sudan”.
Given this, isn’t there a risk that EU diplomats will also not be particularly active in protests?
“Diplomats have to perform the service assigned to them. I am absolutely convinced that they will play an active part in denouncing and urging the protection of Christian minorities being persecuted from Turkey to Iraq, and from Sudan to Pakistan and India”.
So do you concur with the alarm launched to the UN by Celestino Migliore, according to whom Christians are the most persecuted in the world?
“All religions must be free to be professed. This is the premise of the European commitment. But it is an incontrovertible fact that over recent years Christians have been the greater object of discrimination and persecution in many parts of the world”.